1. Ankush (1986)
Ankush is a gritty, socially conscious drama set in the urban sprawl of 1980s Mumbai. The film centers on four young men from lower-middle-class backgrounds—Ravi, Laliya, Shashi, and Arjun—who spend their days loitering, engaging in street brawls, and generally feeling disenfranchised by a system that ignores them. Their stagnant existence is disrupted when Anita, a determined and principled young woman, moves into their neighborhood with her grandmother.
Initially, Anita finds the group’s behavior troubling, but rather than reporting them to the authorities, she chooses a path of understanding and rehabilitation. Anita encourages the group to channel their frustrations in a productive manner. With her support, they start a small printing press, and for a time, the friends begin to see a way out of the spiral of unemployment and aimlessness.
However, the film takes a tragic turn when Anita is brutally assaulted and raped by her employer and his associates. Her subsequent quest for justice is thwarted by a corrupt legal system that allows the perpetrators to go free due to a lack of evidence. This miscarriage of justice drives the four men to enact vigilante revenge, systematically hunting down those they believe are responsible. Their actions lead to capital punishment, and the film ends on a sober note, highlighting the failures of legal and social institutions in protecting the vulnerable and offering a critique of the cycle of violence and injustice in society.
Ankush is lauded for its realistic portrayal of unemployment and youth disillusionment in India, featuring powerful performances by Nana Patekar and the cast. It’s an emblematic film of its era, exploring issues of class, law, and morality with unflinching candor.
2.Tumbbad (2018)
Tumbbad is a genre-defying, atmospheric horror-fantasy set in rural Maharashtra, spanning from the late colonial era of British India into the post-Independence period. The story revolves around Vinayak Rao, a young boy who is ensnared by the legend of a hidden treasure in the cursed village of Tumbbad. The perpetual rainfall that drenches Tumbbad serves as a haunting backdrop, signifying the land’s lingering curse and the consequences of unchecked greed.
The narrative is structured in three significant segments. The myth at the film’s heart is about Hastar, a greedy first-born deity cursed never to be worshipped or spoken of, eternally bound in the womb of the earth—the site of which lies beneath an abandoned mansion in Tumbbad. As Vinayak grows up, his obsession with the fabled treasure becomes all-consuming. Guided by a decrepit older woman, he learns how to retrieve gold by tricking the monstrous entity Hastar: toss a bait of flour to Hastar, and while distracted, snatch coins from his sash.
Vinayak’s life, however, is steadily consumed by his greed. As he becomes wealthier, relationships with those around him—the mother, wife, son, and mistress—deteriorate. The moral decay mirrors the dilapidated house and the incessant rain that never washes away the underlying curse. Eventually, Vinayak’s pursuit of riches leads to deadly consequences: betrayal, a gruesome cycle of violence, and familial ruin. The story’s chilling climax sees Vinayak and his son, Pandurang, descending into Hastar’s lair, where temptation and horror entwine, ultimately consuming them both.
Tumbbad stands out for its innovative storytelling, eerie visuals, and the philosophical meditation on greed, legacy, and the cyclical nature of human desire.
3. Paanch (2003)
Paanch is a hard-hitting crime thriller, the debut directorial effort of Anurag Kashyap. Loosely inspired by the real-life Joshi-Abhyankar serial killings, the film revolves around a rock band called “The Parasites,” and their descent into a web of crime and destruction. The group, comprising Joy, Pondy, Murgi, Shivli, and the dominant leader, Luke, lives in a chawl in Bombay and dreams of recording their first album.
Desperate for money, the band concocts a plan to stage the fake kidnapping of their wealthiest member, Nikhil, hoping to extort ransom from his father. Though Nikhil is in on the plan, events spiral out of control. When the father involves the police, Luke’s volatile temperament leads him to murder Nikhil. From that point, the plot escalates rapidly, with violence and mistrust tearing the group apart. Betrayal, further killings, and a ruthless cycle of crime overtake any residual bonds of friendship or loyalty.
The film is renowned for its raw, kinetic energy, engaging cinematography, and a profound psychological exploration of peer pressure, toxic masculinity, and the erosion of moral compass. Despite facing censorship issues and a delayed release, Paanch has achieved cult status for its bold storytelling and unorthodox depiction of urban youth gone astray.
4. Aakrosh (1980)
Aakrosh, directed by Govind Nihalani and written by Vijay Tendulkar, is a powerful legal drama exploring oppression, tribal injustice, and systemic corruption in rural India. The story hinges on Bhiku Lahanya, a tribal laborer traumatized into silence by a harrowing sequence of events. His wife is raped by a local foreman and, unable to bear the shame, commits suicide. Bhiku is wrongly accused and stands trial for her murder, the scapegoat of a deeply corrupt system.
The defense lawyer, played by Naseeruddin Shah, attempts to uncover the truth but is repeatedly stonewalled by a judicial system complicit with the powerful. The plot reaches its devastating crescendo as Bhiku, seeing the same exploitative forces preying upon his young sister, kills her to spare her from the same fate. His primal scream of anguish against the sky is both an indictment and a lamentation against the centuries-old cycle of abuse and helplessness.
Aakrosh is revered for its realistic depiction of India’s marginalized, its searing social critique, and unforgettable performances by Shah, Om Puri, and Smita Patil. The film remains a landmark in Indian parallel cinema and social commentary.
5.Nayakan (1987)
Nayakan is a masterful Tamil crime drama by Mani Ratnam, chronicling the rise and fall of Velu Naicker, portrayed by Kamal Haasan. Beginning in Tamil Nadu, young Velu witnesses the murder of his labor-leader father by the police for standing up to injustice. Vengeance leads him to kill the perpetrator, forcing him to flee to the slums of Bombay.
In the city, Velu is taken under the wing of a benevolent smuggler, and through his resilience and sense of justice, he evolves into the much-feared yet much-loved underworld don Nayakan. His criminal ascent is driven by a desire to protect his community from exploitation, but the very violence he rises against slowly becomes entwined with his legacy.
Central to the film is the relationship between Velu and his daughter Charumathi, highlighting the clash between his underworld persona and his family’s quest for a normal life. The final act is ripe with betrayal, familial conflict, and heart-wrenching loss. One of the movie’s most iconic scenes is the silent, introspective moment when Velu, questioned by a child about whether he is a good man or a bad man, is unable to answer—a poignant commentary on morality, justice, and the cost of power.
Nayakan is a cinematic tour de force recognized for its deft direction, nuanced character study, and Kamal Haasan’s career-defining performance. It remains a milestone in Indian cinema and the gangster genre, often cited internationally as one of the greatest gangster films ever made.
These five films—Ankush, Tumbbad, Paanch, Aakrosh, and Nayakan—each unveil unique facets of Indian society. From urban despair and mythic horror to psychological thrillers and moral epics, they are enduring testaments to the power of Indian storytelling.
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